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Sidecar

2 oz Cognac
1 oz Triple sec, Cointreau
3⁄4 oz Lemon juice
1 twst Orange peel
1 Sugar (to prepare the glass)
Instructions

Shake, strain, serve up in sugar rimmed glass. Garnish with orange peel.

Notes

A few drops of lemon or orange bitters on top is a nice touch.

History

Original ratio was 1:1:1, as quoted by Robert Vermeire. This is the French School. Savoy has this as 2:1:1.

Cocktail summary
Posted by Dan on
Created by
Ritz Hotel, Paris
Year
1922
Is an
altered recipe
Reference

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidecar_cocktail

Curator
Not yet rated
User rating
4 stars
(68 ratings)
Yields Drink

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From other users
  • Variant is Difford's Genaro's Sidecar https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/3360/gennaros-sidecar
  • Cognac burn, tart, and sweet. Wonderful, balanced drink. I was just about at 2:1:1, next time try it.
  • I like 2 cognac, 3/4 cointreau (+ 1/4 St.. Germaine) and 1/2 lemon. A bit sweet but feels more balanced to me. Still trying everyone else's variations. *UPDATE* My best version is 2 cognac, 1 Grand Marnier, 1/2 lemon.
  • This is really good. I'll be enjoying it again for sure. Used Ansac VS cognac — ★★★★★
  • Demerara sugar
  • I prefer the ratios found on Esquire.com. The lemon is very present but does not overwhelm: 1 oz VS cognac 1 oz. triple sec 1/2 oz. lemon juice 1/2 oz. simple syrup
  • Joaquin Simo’s version: 2 oz, Pierre Fernand, .75 PF Dry Curaçao, .75 lemon juice, barspoon 2:1 rich Demerara syrup...
  • use 1840, meyer lemon juice, and cointreau 2, 1, 1 ratio. if I don't have meyer lemon up the cointreau slightly
  • Very good with 2 oz PF 1840, and either (a) 3/4 oz PF dry curaçao and 1 tsp 2:1 simple, or (b) 1/2 oz PF dry curaçao and 1/4 oz 2:1 simple.
  • Arnold replaces 1/4 oz of Cointreau with simple syrup (2, 3/4, 3/4, 1/4)
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Comments
Dan commented on 11/12/2010:

Originally posted by bschneier. Of several variations, this one has been adopted as the reference side car and is included in the Goodies > Quickstart Cocktails > Classic Cocktails.

profondeur commented on 6/06/2016:

Also there's Joaquin Simo's version :

2.0 oz Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac

.75 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao

.75 oz lemon juice

1 barspoon 2:1 Demerara sugar syrup (how much is a "barspoon" anyway?)

 

 

pinkfloyd4ever commented on 6/27/2019:

I made Difford's super-easy "Grand Sidecar" a couple weeks ago and was instantly a big fan! Replaces the cognac and Cointreau with just GrandMa since it's already a blend of cognac and orange liqueur.

https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/892/grand-sidecar

2 oz Grand Marnier

1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

That's it! Shake, strain, up, orange peel garnish, enjoy! Try one, it's so good! 

Oh, and death to sugar-rimmed glasses!

Zachary Pearson commented on 6/27/2019:

As written, this drink is really dry - 3 oz of 80+ proof spirit and some lemon juice. You need the sugar rim to hope to have any sense of balance. Thanks,  Zachary

bkemp1984 commented on 1/04/2023:

Made 2:1:1 with Torres brandy and PF Dry Curacao. I'm not a person who needs sweetness in drinks, but I think with the dry curacao a small splash of simple would be a good addition or make it according to the recipe above with slightly more orange liqueur.